A seat at the table

World leaders, policymakers and conservation organisations - including Chester Zoo - are gathering at COP17 to discuss the future of biodiversity. It is vital to coordinate global action for nature, but one group is too often overlooked in conversations at this level: young people.

Yet the decisions made today will shape the world they inherit tomorrow.

At Chester Zoo, we believe that young people are more than future conservationists: they are current stakeholders with valuable experiences, perspectives and ideas to contribute.

We work with thousands of young people through our conservation education programmes to explore biodiversity loss, sustainability and the actions needed to create a future where both people and nature can thrive.

Education plays a critical role in this journey. It helps young people understand the challenges facing nature, but more importantly, it provides opportunities to develop the knowledge, confidence and agency they need to be part of the solution.

As we highlighted in our Unseen education <Chester Zoo | Unseen education> piece, education is often an unseen but essential enabler of biodiversity action, helping transform awareness into meaningful change.

Creating meaningful opportunities for young people to participate is just as important as educating them, and that is what we do.

Through initiatives such as the HFCMAT Changemakers Schools Citizens' Assembly, Zoo Takeover Days and our Youth Board, young people have engaged with conservation and sustainability issues, shared their ideas with the public, and contributed directly to discussions with decisionmakers.

Kiah Hamilton-Adams, Chair of Chester Zoo Youth Board, said:

"Young people aren't just the generation who will live with the consequences of today's decisions, we're also a generation full of ideas, passion and solutions. COP17 is an opportunity to listen to young voices and take action that creates a better future for both people and nature."

To help bring these voices to COP17, Chester Zoo's Youth Board asked young participants a simple question:

What issues matter most to you, and what would you like decision-makers at COP17 to do about them?

The responses were thoughtful, passionate and hopeful. Young people spoke about the importance of protecting wildlife and habitats, improving access to nature, taking stronger action on environmental challenges, and ensuring that young people are genuinely included in decisions about the future.

Biodiversity is often understood in relation to species and ecosystems, but their messages remind us that biodiversity is about people, places, wellbeing and the kind of world we want to create together.

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This short film shares some of those perspectives. We hope it encourages delegates, policymakers and partners to listen carefully to the voices of young people and recognise them as essential partners in delivering the ambitions of the Global Biodiversity Framework and creating a more nature-positive future.

COP17 is about accelerating action for nature, and young people must be part of the conversation. Their future depends on it.